The issue of overcrowded prisons is becoming a crucial element in the functioning of the American law system. There is a need for a sentence reduction through the concept of a “good time” as a reward for good behavior to regulate the conditions of lower and higher-risk offenders. Nevertheless, providing a “good time” only for non-violent prisoners could lower the motivation among other inmates, thus provoking further aggression.
The idea that granting more pre-term releases of prisoners will significantly increase funding and expenses available for sustaining more violent offenders works only partially. While there will be more beds and resources, the expenses should be redirected towards probation and parole systems to grant better supervision (Worrall, 2019). Supervision is one of the essential parts of the “good time” concept to prevent the relapse of released prisoners.
The community-central approach through the officers’ mediation should be applied to prevent harmful consequences of early releases. According to Worrall, statistics show that “children of imprisoned parents are five times more likely to spend time in prison” (2019, p. 260). Such an issue worsens the overcrowding situation in prisons in the future. However, there is a solution, such as a support center for ex-inmates and their relatives that provide advice and counseling on various matters. A similar case exists with the employment of former offenders; even if “good time” motivates inmates to improve their behavior, there is a problem with returning to everyday life. However, it may be avoided through initiatives that help ex-inmates find a job and provide support throughout returning to society. Various charities and organizations focus on providing quality training and employment for parolees (Worrall, 2019). Hence, there are still ways and methods of safe return to society and everyday life.
Therefore, there are many obstacles to creating a strong system of sentence reduction with complete safety for the ex-inmate and society. Nevertheless, the concept of “good time” should exist not only to motivate prisoners but also because, with the help of the parole officers and initiatives, people may quicker and more effectively return to society. It will not only help the prison system but also improve the life of ex-inmates after release.
Reference
Worrall, J. L. (2019). Crime control in America: What works? (4th ed.), Pearson.